ALEXIS. [To CONSTANTINE.] Your move, my dear Constantine. We have exactly two minutes to finish the game and one minute for questions. [He lays his watch beside the chessboard.]
CONSTANTINE. [Moves.] So!
ALEXIS. Ah! One moment! There! What now? [He moves.]
CONSTANTINE. This. [He moves.]
ALEXIS. And this! [He moves.]
CONSTANTINE. Ah ha! I could check-mate your excellency in five more moves.
ALEXIS. The two minutes are up. Tell me, you are quite certain that your agents made no mistake in the matter of this man, Shamrayeff?
CONSTANTINE. Quite certain, your excellency. I begged you to have him put under arrest yesterday. There is absolutely no question. The man’s entire history is in your hands.
ALEXIS. And, in spite of all this, I have granted him a personal interview. I have given explicit orders that he is not to be searched. In short, I must be a fool, eh?
CONSTANTINE. I cannot question your excellency’s judgment.